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Wednesday, November 30, 2016

I have a hand-painted, ceramic nativity set that my grandmother made herself when she owned her own ceramics shop. Every year when I pull it out, I take a little stroll down memory lane... And then I'm sure to place it on display where my kids are unlikely to ever reach or touch it.

However.

What's the fun in that for your kids? Just one more thing they can look at but not touch? Christmas decorations are so fun, but most are very, lets say, best left along by chubby, tiny hands. I've loved Christmas my whole life, but now, as a mother with young kids, Christmas seems to take on an extra special meaning. I want to build fun memories and traditions with my kids that they can cherish their whole life through. (Let's be honest, though, that's basically every mom with young kids, right??)

Well, combine the desire to decorate for Christmas with the desire to build fun memories and you get- kid friendly Christmas decor! I have a few breakable, irreplaceable heirlooms that I display out of reach, but each year, I set up a kid-friendly display of Christmas decor that can be played with and then put back on display.

Please note the tiny fingers, ready
to wreak havoc on the display.
I love it.

What do I use?Felt elf hats with bells on top. A little metal pail filled with jingle bells. A plastic Nativity set. Christmas books. A sturdy musical snow globe. A small felt Christmas tree with 'gift boxes' filled with ornaments the kids can stick on it. A wooden sign with the word 'LOVE', all attached with double sided Velcro, so the kids can remove the letters and stick them right back on. Fun, hands on toys that can double as decor!

The display gets taken down and put up and scattered and re-set up multiple times, I assure you... But it's just so fun! My kids LOVE to be able to 'decorate' and play with decorations all on their own, with no mommy to come and scream 'don't you dare touch that, child!' I personally love that last part, too- no screaming! Yes, a handful of items are off limits, but the bulk majority (including one Christmas tree that is entirely filled with cheap, plastic bulk-store ornaments) are fun decorations that THEY get to be a part of doing. Over. And over. And over again. Because repetition is a mom's bread and butter, am I right? Merry Christmas!